Who is San Antonio Pets Alive!?

San Antonio Pets Alive! is not a shelter. We are a life-saving organization founded on the tenet: Killing is not a solution. It is our obligation to find lifesaving solutions. San Antonio Pets Alive! (SAPA!) began its life saving work as a reaction, a reaction to a devastating situation in our backyard where thousands (19,458 in 2011 to be exact) of dogs and cats were euthanized at the City’s shelter. In 2012 SAPA! launched its model of pulling animals at the city shelter who were kenneled, awaiting euthanasia, to save their lives. In our now five-year history, SAPA! has saved the lives of over 35,000 dogs and cats with no other hope. San Antonio now consistently realizes a save-rate in the eightieth percentile, some months at ninety percent. The model saves the lives of dogs and cats no one else will help; puppies with parvo, orphaned kittens too young to survive without a mother, dogs considered undesirable because of their size or physical characteristics as well as thousands more, hit by cars, heartworm positive or abandoned.

SAPA!’s Mission Statement: We focus on saving the lives of the dogs and cats already on the euthanasia list at the city shelter.

SAPA!’s core programs are:

Neonatal Kitten Nursery: This program helps meet the needs of the thousands of kittens that enter shelters in San Antonio each year. Requiring a high level of care due to their age and medical issues, our neonatal nursery provides treatment and housing until these kittens are ready for foster or adoption.

Parvo Ward: Our Parvo Ward isolates and treats puppies exposed to this very common but dangerous virus (canine parvovirus). It takes about 7 days for a puppy to be clear of the infection, which requires careful observation and treatment. Once they test negative, however, they are immediately made available for foster or adoption. Our Parvo Ward saved over 500 puppies in 2014.

Ringworm Ward: Ringworm, a common fungal infection, can be a death sentence for shelter cats in many parts of the US. Ringworm is highly contagious and able to survive for extended periods in a household or shelter environment. SAPA’s Ringworm Ward provides treatment for hundreds of shelter cats and kittens annually, returning them to the adoption floor – and new homes – within 4 weeks.

Medical Clinic: Our medical clinic provides care and treatment for animals we’ve adopted, those in foster awaiting adoption, and the San Antonio community at large. Everything from rabies vaccinations to heartworm preventative, as well as treatment for injuries large and small, is provided by our veterinary and technical staff.

Transport Program – Our newest program, “Headin’ Home”, allows us to save the lives of primarily large adult dogs who may languish in San Antonio kennels waiting for adoption. Through this innovative program we are able to send these dogs to rescue partners in communities up north who don’t experience the pet overpopulation problems we have in San Antonio. In these communities, these dogs find their forever homes in a matter of weeks thanks to waiting lists of adopters.